A few months back, in addition to your traditional DVD / Blu-Ray format that many couples, Moms and Dads, and Grandparents like to receive, I also introduced these USB drives as an added bonus as well. They’re about the size of a credit card and super convenient to be able to carry in your pocket, purse, wallet, you name it. Every time that I showcase these at various wedding / bridal shows, I watch couples freak out at how cool these are. Just plug them into your laptop, TV, etc. and boom – you’re off and running!

Those who book with me will receive one of these and I’m absolutely in love with them. I’ll be doing a video on these guys shortly to showcase them up close – but be sure to follow me on my website as I’ll be posting upcoming bridal shows that I’m a part of and you’ll see these babies up close as well!

When it comes to wedding videography, I’m pretty particular on how I do things. And when it comes to shooting a wedding, preparation and angles are the key. To me, that also means a wedding, in my opinion, can’t simply be shot with just one camera. If you come across packages that offer 6 or 8 hours with just one videographer — and then to pile things on top of that, one 3-5 minute highlight video …. yeah …. you might want to think again.

My point of this post is as you watch the video below, take note of the camera angles and the transitions. There are 3 cameras running for this ceremony. I’ve had up to 4 and 5 in the past at certain weddings (which makes it so much fun when editing … seriously … it does). I’m zoomed in close on both the bride and the groom as well as capturing a wider shot showcasing the sanctuary. You just simply can’t capture a video like this with one camera. Nope, can’t do it …

So, while planning your upcoming wedding and looking at selecting your videographer, take a look at their videos closely and see if you can see things from both perspectives. See if you see multiple angles. Can you imagine how boring your favorite TV show or movie would be with just one angle? Why would you want your wedding to be any different? Some brides are focused on hiring multiple photographers. Why be any different when thinking about your wedding film? Why not hire a videographer that utilizes multiple cameras, getting at least double the footage, and the best part is – you get this throughout your entire day?! I’ll talk about lighting and audio on a future blog post – but for now, my rant is over. Have a great week everyone!

https://www.jamesshulerphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/kimpremiere.jpg9381500Jameshttps://www.jamesshulerphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/jslogo1.pngJames2017-02-22 18:03:452017-02-22 18:03:45Wedding Videography and How I Do Things

Throughout the day, when I’m capturing a wedding on video, I’m more than likely going to get a few clips that can be used as “bloopers” or fun moments if you will. This video below was one of those times.

I had asked Kimberly to let me get a shot of the two of them kissing so I could snag it on video, knowing all the while that I was going to mess with them for a little bit when they did it. I even turned around, beforehand, to her bridesmaids and said “Watch me mess with them on this one …” LOL. So, I proceeded to tell them to go ahead and kiss and in the meantime I asked them to “hold it … hold it …. hold it” and then ended up loosing it and started laughing — which at that point they caught on to what was going on and started laughing themselves. Queue the Jeff Foxworthy voice here —> “If your wedding videographer likes to goof around and asks you to hold it during a kiss …. you might be working with James Shuler Photography & Videography.” I promise, there’s no “boring video guy” when working with me brides. We’ll capture some great video … and have some great laughs also!

Joe and Chanti Williams are two of the nicest individuals that I’ve ever met (and had the pleasure of working with). So, I was honored to be able to capture their wedding at the beautiful Noah’s Event Venue in Lake Mary.

I met Chanti there the week prior to go over the flow of the day and to talk about a couple of minor questions that I had at the time. This allows me to think about where I will be placing cameras during the day and to be able to picture, mentally, where I will be throughout the day as well. This is something that I always try to do with all of the brides that I work with (especially if it’s a venue that I’ve never been to before) and if we’re not able to meet there prior, I’ll do my best to attend their rehearsal. We went over dressing room locations, where the ceremony was going to be, and their reception area (which is absolutely beautiful I might add). Just a quick plug — if you’re thinking about having your wedding here … yeah …. you should go ahead and sign now.

I arrived there early and jumped right in to filming her and the girls getting ready in addition to other particular shots that I like to grab. I also had the pleasure of working alongside the extremely talented Kimberly and Dan Phipps of Our Day Wedding Photography (a team I’ve had the pleasure of working with numerous times and a team that I would highly, highly recommend for your wedding images). Like … super highly.

Joe and Chanti had a beautiful (and emotional) ceremony. I was even trying to play tough guy on the side behind the camera and play it off like my eyes were itching. They were seriously … I mean kinda …. ok, yeah, you got me … I was tearing up. But I maintained my manly composure and kept the camera rolling. And if you know the rocky road that Chanti has been through prior to the wedding, you’ll understand why.

The party kicked off at their reception and we all had a great time from there. There were some more emotional moments here, but following that – everyone had a great time, there was some great dancing, and I was able to grab some beautiful video for this beautiful couple.

Thank you again Joe / Chanti for allowing me to capture your wedding and my God continue to bless you both in your many years of marriage to come!

If you’re engaged at the moment, now is the time to come out to this upcoming wedding show and meet some fabulous vendors! Photographers will be there, food vendors, cakes, linens, and of course some super swag cool guy that does wedding videography! Yeah Boom… that would be me! In all seriousness though, bridal shows are a great way to meet your vendor, ask questions, allow them to speak with you, and it’s a lot better than simply going through text and video on their website. You get to meet them there, get to know them and their personality a little bit – and who knows …. this guy may even have a discount or two on his wedding videography package that he currently offers (and only at this show). Don’t make the mistake and pass on wedding videography! Many couples don’t budget for this and then regret having a videographer there. Photos can capture great emotion, but video offers a completely different perspective and emotion that images simply can’t convey. Anyway – enough of my yapping – you get the jist of what I’m saying.

While I’m there, you’ll be able to see some examples of the DVDs that I’ve created in the past, BluRay discs that you have the option of snagging with your package, and of course this super slick USB drive where your digital video is presented. You don’t want to miss that – it is the coolest thing that I offer!

Once a wedding is completed, the footage has been organized, and I’m nearing the ending of the overall wedding film – then the other part of my fun begins and that’s in rendering out the final product that the couple receives.I offer their wedding film in both digital format and on DVD.The digital format is pretty easy and straight forward.The DVD structure takes a little more work as you have to create menus, links to the video files, etc – but this is the part that I enjoy.

As I’m nearing the end, I will shift over to Photoshop and begin to work on some initial designs for both the DVD itself and the DVD case.I’m strictly an Adobe dude – so all of my work for all of the video work that I do lies within four applications – Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, and Encore.Below are a couple of mockups that I am trying out on a wedding that I captured recently in Casselberry at the Crystal Ballroom.

Again, I may add some additional elements to the DVD and cases (i.e. title, their names, etc) – but these are two rough draft mock ups that I came up with and I’m liking how they are looking already!

The digital copy that the couple receives is a USB drive that resembles a credit card in size.This makes it extremely convenient to carry this around in a wallet, purse, bag, etc.Couples have loved this and I’ve even had a Grandmother reach out recently wanting to order an additional one for her an her husband for their new IMac.(Awesome, I love it!)

When you book with me, know that you will receive these two formats right off the bat. While I will agree that optical media is fading away on all computers, the demand for DVDs is still high for me when speaking with couples, their parents, and extended family members – hence the reason for offering both.

If you’re looking for a wedding videography for your wedding, I encourage you to contact me! I would love to speak with you about your special day! Have a great weekend everyone!